Rabies in dogs - discover what it is, what symptoms it has and its treatment
Among all the diseases that our dogs can have, anger is one of the best known, since there are texts of centuries ago who name it and describe it very well, having lived together with it suffering and dying when they were infected.
Luckily he is extinct in peninsular Spain, and only sporadic cases are given in Ceuta and Melilla, which is why dogs continue to be vaccinated with a frequency that depends on each autonomous community, although in recent years they are stricter because of the cases that occur in these two autonomous cities.
How is it spread?
It is a viral disease present in mammals, such as dogs, cats less frequently, foxes or bats.
The half of contagion is saliva, so the most frequent way to pass from one animal to another or even humans, since it is a zoonosis, is the bite.
When an animal bites another or a person, the virus that is in their saliva passes to the blood and begins its incubation period, but sometimes it is not even necessary a bite.
Although it is less frequent, it is known that one can also spread if an infected animal licks another in a mucosa or in an area where it has a wound.
It is not usual, since bats are in contact with our dogs, but this mammal is a reservoir of the disease and a infection without bite is possible, just because of contact with their urine or stool.
What are the symptoms of rabies?
This disease has a very broad symptomatology, so much that on many occasions it can be confused with neurological problems that have nothing to do with it.
Given the minimum suspicion, it is best to go to the veterinarian, whose expert eye and the tests (if you consider them necessary) will tell us if our pet has anger or other health problem.
Aggressiveness
One of the best known is irritability and aggressiveness. Suddenly, an animal that has never given problems begins to act in a strange way, showing aggressive with us, with strangers and with other animals.
That behavior change must make us suspect, and although it does not mean that the animal has rage, it is best to go to a veterinary clinic, since it indicates that something that is affecting the health of our dog is happening and that requires immediate attention.
Excessive salivation
Salivation is another of those symptoms that we associate with rage, since in all ancient representations the rabid dogs are shown with their mouths full of drool, which fall abundantly.
This hypersalivation is due to the fact that one of the parts of the organism that attacks this virus is the salivary glands of the animal, something that helps it expand, since it extends by contaminated saliva.
Phobia in light and water
An aversion or phobia in light is not associated so much with rage, but Another symptoms known since ancient is the phobia to water.
Dogs do not usually have water problems, but when they have anger they don't want to approach it, fleeing or getting aggressive if we try to wet them. Similarly, light bothers them a lot and have to hide from it.
Other less known symptoms
There is also another symptomatology that specialists know well, but that we do not have no animal health notions do not associate with the disease.
Some of them are fever, face paralysis and general paralysis, which usually appears at the final moment when the dog is about to die from this virus.
Phases of rabies in dogs
From the moment an infected animal bites the dog, the rage begins to develop following a series of phases that are very well studied due to all the time we have been living with the disease.
The phases can occur more or less quickly, but in the end the animal will go through all if we do not remedy before, which is impossible in stray dogs, which are the ones that should really worry us, because there is no one to worry about them
Incubation
When an infected animal bites a dog, the disease transmits (if it is not immunized by vaccine), but it does not manifest immediately, but goes through an incubation period.
The dog is already infected, but asymptomatic for a time ranging from a week to several months.
It seems that this period varies depending on the area of the bite, so that the closer the brain is, the shorter incubation.
It is impossible to know that the dog has rage at this time, unless we see the animal that has transmitted it and we suspect that it is infected by its behavior or because excessively salives.
Prodromic
In this second phase the first symptoms begin to appear, which are not usually associated with rage, since The dog is tired and scared. It can also present nervousness.
There is no aggressiveness and at this time it does not represent hardly danger either for humans or for other animals, but rage is there and will not stop advancing.
Aggressiveness
After two to ten days of the previous phase the risk begins, the moments in which a dog with rage is a danger to the one around him no matter if he is animal or human.
This is when the symptoms that are associated with rabies, such as aggressiveness and excessive salivation are presented, with withdrawal of the lips by a spasm that makes the teeth look very well, which intensifies the sensation of danger.
He will try to bite other animals, people and even their own owners if they do not take precautions and it is best to enclose it while the veterinarians come.
Paralysis
We reach the end of the disease, when the throat and jaw are paralyzed. Little by little, the dog loses control of the movement and collapse, being paralyzed and even entering a coma until in the end dies, which can take several days.
Diagnosis
There are two ways to make the diagnosis. With the oldest one had to wait for the dog to die and take a sample of the brain tissues, in which the virus can be seen.
Now it is also used if the animal has died and it is believed that the cause has been anger, since it is the simplest test and the one that has the least risk.
If the dog is alive, the veterinarian can make a blood test To know if the symptoms are due to a neurological disease or the dog has anger, thanks to the polymerase chain reaction.
Treatment of rabies in dogs
There is no treatment for anger in dogs. It is a deadly disease against which we cannot do anything More than notifying the authorities, because the laws force us to do so.
Seeing what happens as the phases of the disease advance, the best thing for the animal is to sacrifice it, otherwise the only thing we will get is that it suffers a terrible suffering.
In addition, we must not forget that the disease can be transmitted if we do not act quickly, which is also very serious in humans and causes death if it is not treated in time.
Although it is hard to think that we cannot do anything for our pet, the rage makes it a danger and if we do not apply euthanasia in the end it will die the same suffering unnecessary, paralyzed and by suffocation.
Rabia prevention in dogs
Luckily, Preventing anger in dogs is very simple and all we have to do is follow the vaccination calendar of our autonomous community.
It is important to know when the animal must be vaccinated, because it is not an optional injection, but is mandatory in order for this terrible disease to be eradicated in our country.
Sometimes, this calendar is a bit straight, because in recent years it has changed a few occasions, some communities reaching the mandatory vaccine or putting it every two years.
Now the calendar is stricter and you even have to vaccinate the puppies, so The best way to be up to date with vaccines is to ask our trusted veterinarian, which is aware of all legislative changes.
Due to how important the Rabies vaccination, in all Spanish municipalities campaigns are carried out, so the neighbors do not have to leave their villages in order to vaccinate their dogs, since it is the veterinarians who move to put the injections.
Other canine diseases that may interest you:
Share